肇論 1.3

1.3

I, Huida, in my humble simplicity, compose a general preface to the four treatises—including "The Fundamental Doctrine" and "The Immutability of Things"—written by Dharma Master Shi Sengzhao of Chang'an. In these final ages, the propagation of the scriptures truly falls to the bodhisattvas of the four reliances. As [the Dharma] was transmitted to this land, [Sengzhao] likewise belongs to their rank. Coming down to the Venerable Dao'an and the śramaṇa Kumārajīva, both initiated schools and designated doctrines, mapping out debates and exploring principles, broadcasting and explaining them, their undertakings set upon the profound and void; in this alone did they emulate the ancestral [teachings] of the sage's silence. From that time onwards, throughout ancient and modern eras, among those who are recorded in the biographies of eminent monks and those not recorded in such biographies—including over three thousand monks such as Shi Sengrui, and some eight hundred pure-believing dānapatis such as Xie Lingyun—they went so far as to correctly rectify regional dialects, rhythmically arrange the gradations [of translation], skilfully examine the names and teachings, and meticulously investigate doctrinal principles. Gathering the synthesis of all these worthy men's discourses, there is one as wondrous as this man, who transcended speech and united with silence: in establishing the root, sentence by sentence, he profoundly reached the Buddha's mind; in clarifying the branches, word by word, he thoroughly penetrated the various teachings. Truly, these are splendid scriptures of the Mahāyāna, comprehensive writings of the vaipulya! When examining writings and compositions from antiquity to the present, and carefully sifting through the various treatises written by famous worthies—divided into six or seven lineages, extending even to twelve—all of them judged good and bad and debated correctness and error; only these models are free from such defects and blunders. This is truly because his inner disposition was vast and unrestrained, unbound by anything. Like the deep ocean surpassing the nine streams, standing aloft in pure emptiness, aloof beyond worldly things. Those who know the master are few; those who take refuge in the master gather by the tens. If it is said that he was unknown, it was precisely in this that the master was noble.